Mr Mendel New
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I feel very honoured that I have been asked to speak of Reb Zalman Serebryanski's zal contribution to Chabad in Melbourne.
He was of the generation that referred to himself as Reb Zalman and not officially as Rabbi Serebryanski - typifying his humility as a true chossid.
Reb Zalman zal was the epitome of a lubavitcher chossid spreading the soul of yiddiskeit not by coercion or any pressures buy purely and simply by his conduct as a chossid in his love of a fellow Jew as an equal irrespective of his/her level of observance.
He established the Yeshiva in Shepparton and soon realised that in a continent like Australia, there was no future for a Yeshiva in the country and instigated the move to Burwood and subsequently spearheaded the purchase of the Hotham street property. Finally he established the Yeshiva Gedola in Alexander Street.
In Shepparton where the students lived full time, he was like a father to them, even washing the feet of the younger ones and making sure that their dress and practical needs were looked after.
In Melbourne he personally ensured that the children ate the lunches provided by the Yeshiva and remained till late with the children waiting for both their newly arrived immigrant working parents to come and pick them up.
Personally, being born in Australia, I never saw many chassidishe yidden prior to the war and only knew what my late father described as the Polish chossid. The arrival Reb Zalman and his Lubavitcher friends changed my idea of a chossid.
When I met Reb Zalman and got to know him very well, I realized what a true chossid he was. He was meticulous in his dress, speech, and always had time to learn Torah with anybody interested in having a shiur with him both young and old. In the early years despite the fact that his English was limited and having a very different background to Australia, he endeared himself to the Australian born youth and had an excellent rapport with them.
He had time for everybody, was an excellent listener showing concern and understanding to many people - students, teenagers, grown ups who sought his counsel and advice.
As a result of his example and teaching, many people found their way back to Judaism as can be seen by the large and influential Chabad community in Melbourne.
As you all know he was a committed and sincere disciple of the Lubavitcher rebbe and with the inspiration of the rebbe he made possible to a raw community the concept of a chossid.
His vision and tireless devotion to yiddishkeit helped to pave the way for the success of the many Chabad institutions in Melbourne today.
In conclusion, I would like to illustrate Reb Zalman's example in practical terms how a true Chabad chossid thinks of other people's needs, leaving a lasting effect of a chabadnick.
I married in the Hebrew month of Kislev and kept constant contact with Reb Zalman, being the Secretary of the Yeshiva. He always inquired as to my welfare especially when I started my own business.
Several weeks before Pesach in a discussion I must have stated that business was not particularly buoyant but undoubtly things will improve.
A week before Pesach I had a surprise visit to my home from Reb Zalman who stated the following:
'Mendele!', as he affectionately called me, 'every young man has periodic difficult times in business and as Pesach is approaching your needs are greater than normal.' He handed me 100 pounds which was a lot of money in those days. I looked at him bewildered and said 'Reb Zalman - we both know that you do not possess 100 pounds, you must have borrowed the money.' He did not answer but had a twinkle in his eye.
To me, he was the living example of a Chabad chossid - somebody I would like to emulate.